55gal brackish tank for my puffers

[jeff_purdon]

hey guys sometime in the future i'm thinking of setting up my 55gal tank into a new brackish tank for my gsp and fig 8 puffer. i'm just looking for any sort of suggestions/tricks of the trade/hints to make it easier. right now i have a HOB filter its an aqua tech 30-60 and a bubble want and a 200w heater. i would probably be getting a second filter just because they are such messy little fish. i would also be replacing the blue gravel with some sort of sand. probably kind that comes wet in the bad with all the live bacteria in it. thats what i used for my 29 gal and seemed to work well. and i would also be adding tons of plants. one of my friends suggestions getting some live rock as well. would that actually survive in brackish conditions or does the sg have to be higher than 1.010? any sort of clean up crew i could have in the tank that you guys know of? ok well thanks in advance for your help its greatly appreciated.

[riggers]

Well I am not sure about the live rock thing tbh but i do know that you can't keep that GSP with your F8. Firstly because it will bully your F8 and probably kill it, but mainly because GSPs are high end brackish and need to gradually turn to marine as they get older, whereas F8s are low end brackish and stay at that. Sorry.

[Pufferpunk]

Anything in a bag has no live bactteria in it--wet or not--don't waste your $$$. Buy plain or colored aragonite sand.

[Idontknow]

I found out the hard way that live rock will die if the SG is under 1.017.

If you are looking for a clean up crew, probably the only safe bet are mollies. They can adjust from freshwater to brackish, even marine. Shrimpsand other invertebrates will most likely be eaten. Although, my F8s won't eat shrimp unless I hold the shrimp for them. My GSP will attack on sight.

[jmbishop]

Pool filter sand is my favorite for anything but saltwater. Some have trouble getting it but I get it from a commercial pool supplier.(I'm thinking of packaging it and selling it since I get it for so much cheaper than anyone else) Tank mates/ clean up crew are tricky here is my list of fish that I've put with my Ceylon, Gsp and F8 that have and haven't been nipped.

Nipped:
violet goby
channel cat
all shrimp



Un nipped:
guppies(haven't tried any with ling fins)
mollies
platys
striped top minnow
archer fish








To be tested next:
needle fish
golden wonder killiefish
nerite snails

[Pufferpunk]

Don't risk the needlefish or killies. I wouldn't put that car in there either.

[LinearChaos]

I wouldn't put that car in there either.

[MatthewLaw]

What type of mollie's did/do you have ?

I am considering adding a dalmation molly to my F8 but am not sure.....

Thanks. -Matt

[jmbishop]

Don't risk the needlefish or killies. I wouldn't put that car in there either.

The golden wonder is a tough, fast little fish that will eat anything that fits in its mouth. I already have wild top minnows that are closely related to the golden wonder but are slightly smaller and there is no conflict with the puffers. The needle fish might not work as well.

What type of mollie's did/do you have ?

I am considering adding a dalmation molly to my F8 but am not sure.....

Thanks. -Matt

I have dalmatians.

[Idontknow]

I have a black molly with my F8s. Silver molly with GSP.